Imagine what it’s like to live as a young person in todays world of filters and photoshop when you look different. Being called “freak”, “monster”, or “hideous” every day. And the abuse doesn’t stop. 86,000 children of school age in the UK today live with a disfigurement. They face teasing, ridicule and staring in public. Almost half will be bullied at school. This can have a devastating impact on their wellbeing. Yet with NHS services under increasing pressure – their needs are going unmet.

This Christmas, donors would be supporting the UK’s only free wellbeing and psychosocial counselling services for children with a visible difference, who have appearance-related mental health issues, and may need more help to cope. With your donations, we will expand our advice and support services and networks for children with a visible difference; giving more children tools to manage their feelings, cope in social settings, or key transitions like starting school.